NEWS RELEASE
MPP JILL DUNLOP
*************************
The Ontario government is providing $3,878,008 to help Service Managers across Simcoe County respond to an increase in COVID-19 cases in some emergency shelters and help keep vulnerable people safe. The new funding will protect homeless shelter staff and residents, and help prevent more people from becoming homeless.
“Protecting Ontario’s most vulnerable is our number one priority as the COVID-19 crisis continues,” said MPP Caroline Mulroney. “The Social Services Relief Funding will prevent more people from becoming homeless. Funding will enable our partners to acquire motel and hotel spaces to support physical distancing of shelter residents, hire more shelter staff, and purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies.”
“We are responding to the ongoing challenges of the pandemic and applying funding where it is needed across Simcoe County and within our communities in Simcoe North. This additional funding will help to improve the safe delivery of critical services, and further ensure to protect homeless shelter staff and residents,” said Jill Dunlop, MPP Simcoe North.
Today’s announcement is part of the province’s additional $255 million investment through the Social Services Relief Fund. Municipal service managers and Indigenous program partners can use the funding to acquire motel and hotel spaces to support physical distancing of shelter residents, hire more shelter staff, purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies, and add to rent and utility banks to prevent more people from becoming homeless.
“We must protect everyone in our community against COVID-19, especially our community members who are most at risk "said Andrea Khanjin - MPP for Barrie/Innisfil. “I recognize that making sure our entire community stays healthy will be key to post-Covid recovery for everyone. This additional funding will further assist shelters to protect and accommodate the vulnerable population in our community, and the frontline workers who care for them, while preventing any future outbreaks.”
“Our government is once again taking immediate action to save lives by responding to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in some emergency shelters across the province,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “This investment will ensure our municipal service managers can keep vulnerable people and shelter workers safe by providing them with the financial ability to take any means necessary to stop the spread of COVID-19 in shelter spaces.”
“Every single day, across Ontario, there are heroes working who have dedicated their lives to helping some of our population’s most vulnerable people. I’m glad to see this local funding coming to support them, and the work they do, during these difficult times,” said Doug Downey, MPP for Barrie – Springwater – Oro-Medonte. “This investment will help to alleviate operating pressures, which will ensure safer environments, and bring more peace of mind for both staff and residents.”
Under the Social Services Relief Fund, Ontario has provided $765 million to help service managers and Indigenous program partners support shelters, create longer-term housing solutions and help vulnerable Ontarians affected by COVID-19, including those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
QUICK FACTS
- Ontario launched the Social Services Relief Fund in March 2020 to help protect the health and safety of the province’s most vulnerable people during COVID-19. As part of its Community Housing Renewal Strategy and response to COVID-19, Ontario is investing approximately $1.75 billion in 2020-2021 to help sustain, repair and grow community housing and help end homelessness. This includes the Social Services Relief Fund.
*************************
